Allentown, PA is where it all started for me. I get my love of books from teachers (especially Ms. Weaver) and my aunt Diane. My love of writing and storytelling comes from somewhere deep inside. It is something I need to do.
From Allentown, I traveled to Melbourne, FL for college and El Segundo, CA for my first real job. My current home is in Houston, TX where I write mysteries with my brilliant husband, Mark Phillips.
I love to read - all kinds of books. My home is full of books I intend to read, the stacks keep growing. When I encounter a book I love, I devour it, and then regret that it is finished so soon.
I only review or comment on books that I enjoyed and wish to recommend to others. So if you see stars, or any sort of comment from, I enjoyed the book and believe you will too.
Lucy was a journalist who when clearing her Gran Olive’s attic out came across a beautifully carved wooden box. Olive was really unwell and in hospital. Lucy wanted to try to find out about the mystery box and it’s contents before it was too late. Jack, her Gran’s handyman/gardener started helping her clear the attic. He was happy to do anything that meant he could forget about Christmas which was only a couple of weeks away. Lucy had so much to plan and achieve in those couple of weeks, and wished she had more time. Todd her boyfriend was busy with the long term plans and not helping her with the short term stuff. Jack’s support became invaluable and Lucy wondered why Olive had always said that Jack’s relationships were all 5 minute wonders. Beautifully written book, Charlotte is definitely an author I’ll be reading in the future.
I loved this book. It was a quick, light read that is perfect for the holidays. Gives you that family-oriented, warm fuzzy feeling of Christmas time. I enjoyed reading about the main characters and watching the love stories unfold, both past and present. A must read! Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this.
I enjoyed reading this romantic Christmas story, which was good daft nonsense. It is a story about family life and how we are all different and not everyone wants to plan ahead up to retirement age. Sometimes life should be worth living for.
Five stars; because wow ... i mean wow..... I could not put this down.... a real on the edge of your seat book...... this is one that scares you but you have to just keep on reading...... Jim the detective seems to be out smarted by the "Santa" at every step of the way.... and eventually you will find out why.... The clues are in there... the idea of who it is torments you as a reader and keeps you guessing.....but it is all in there for you to pick up on ..... It was only when i had finished did i see the clues and they fell into place like a domino effect....
The twelve days of Christmas begins the countdown each year of a spree of killing and fear.... each year the psychopath starts his deadly run of gruesome murders... who is it seems to be the challenge for the detective and each year "Santa" outsmarts the police
The Present opens up with a delivery of a gift to a journalist .... it takes hold at this point and the clock starts to tick down as the twelve days of Christmas starts the whole process of the murders and gruesome attacks....
A great written book that i have really enjoyed..... but one note that i would have liked to have read is to have some knowledge of what his mother did to him that made him into such a gruesome psychopathic killer
But it was a good read and would recommend it to others
A lovely story about finding family treasures in Gran's loft and retracing her history as a Land Girl. It is so important to connect with our older relatives before they are gone and there were a few times this left me with a lump in my throat as I remembered something I hadn't asked my own gran before she passed. It isn't a depressing book though: it's rather lovely, in fact. Recommended.